Vices and Virtues
by mayghaen17
Summary: When Stefan is sent away on official business, he is forced to leave Elena in the hands of his king...
1. Chapter 1

**a/n: okay, this has been in my mind since I started writing and the last couple of days it's been all I can think about. Apparently, Damon and Elena want this version of their lives told more than anything at the moment. So here's some things you need to know about this story:**

**Yes, it is a crossover. No, it's not a typical one. I'm using bits and pieces of the True Blood universe, but none of the characters will make an appearance. All I wanted was a few things from the series, but the majority of it will be TVD.**

**Vampires are out in the open, but they look and act just as normal humans. They can go out in the sun with an amulet/ring/whatever. Vervain is their weakness. There is no synthetic blood. Instead, they are able to exist by having "donors" or groupies that give their blood willingly in exchange for money, sex, etc. I'm not really going to get into that though. I'm kind of overlapping things as I go, so if you have any questions or want me to clarify something, let me know.**

**I am taking how Damon and Stefan turned from the book universe. For those of you who haven't read it/don't know, don't worry, I'll include it in one of the chapters. As far as Katherine's concerned, I haven't made up my mind on whether or not she'll be dead, but it won't really matter because she won't be making an appearance.**

**This is going to be a short fic. I have it outlined to six chapters and it probably won't be any more than that so the pace is going to be a bit faster than usual.**

ONE

Elena stood outside of her boyfriend's apartment. They had exchanged keys a few days ago and yet she felt strange using it to just walk into his home. They hadn't been together for more than a few months and this was the farthest she had gotten in any relationship. It was a symbol of how she was maturing. As she held the metal object in her hand, she went back and forth about whether or not she should just use the damn key or look like a fool and ring the door bell. Then again, she could always say she left the key at home. She laughed at that; Stefan would see right through her. He always knew when she was lying. Stefan Salvatore was definitely not a normal boyfriend.

He was a vampire.

It had taken Elena a little bit to adjust to this, although it wasn't as hard as she thought it would be. That was due to the fact that up until a few years ago vampires were a thing of horror stories. Now they were a part of reality. Knowing that they were out there and integrating in society as normal people made it easier to be in a relationship with one. They weren't as scary as she'd once thought. They weren't the things that nightmares were made of. At least not all of them were. There was still a good portion of the vampire population that went out on killing sprees and ignored the laws, but for the most part, they lived their undead lives as if they were human.

That was how she had met Stefan. They met at the coffee shop where she worked. He was there at the same time every day. Eventually, she got the nerve to give him her number and ask _him_ out on a date. He didn't answer right away. Later, she found out it was because he thought she was one of the vampire groupies that had surfaced once vampires had gone mainstream. Until that moment, Elena hadn't even noticed that he was one of the undead. Not long after that, they began their relationship.

Elena sighed after reliving the past few months and looked at the key again. Making a snap decision, she put it in the lock and opened the door. There, she was rewarded with the sight of Stefan pacing the living room. "Stefan?" she called out softly as she nudged the door shut.

He looked up at her, surprised he hadn't heard her come in. "You're early."

She nodded. "Class got out early," she answered and tilted her head to the side. "Are you okay?" she asked, sensing that something was bothering him.

"I'm fine," he assured her.

Elena crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes at him. For as good as he was at being able to detect her lies, she was equally as good at detecting his. "Want to try that again?" she asked, her eyes daring him to lie to her again.

Stefan sighed and raked a hand through his hair. He met her gaze and smirked just a little. Once he broke eye contact, he bent to pick up the letter on the coffee table. "I just got this in the mail."

"What is it?" she asked, coming to stand closer to him.

"It's a letter from-" he stopped short as he debated the best way to convey the information.

"From...?" she prompted after his hesitation had bordered on a minute.

"Alright," he said and put the letter back down on the coffee table. He sat on the couch and patted the cushion next to him. "Before I tell you what that's about, there's something else I have to tell you."

"Okay." Slowly, she moved to sit beside him, her mind going over a hundred and one things he would have to tell her. From the way he was acting, she had a feeling that whatever it was, it wasn't good.

He smiled at her, sensing her worry. He reached for her hand and took it in his, giving it a light squeeze. "It's nothing bad, it's just more about my..." he paused, searching for the right word. "People, I guess."

"So this is about vampires?"

He nodded. "There's more to us and our world than we let on to the public. They wanted humans to know that we exist, but they didn't want them to know the full details."

Elena let out a breath of relief. From the sound of things, this wasn't going to as bad a conversation as she thought. "What, do you guys have kings and queens?" she asked in a teasing manner. Her jaw dropped and her eyes widened in shock as he just stared at her, silently giving her an answer. "Oh my god, I was kidding."

"I know you were."

Elena shook her head. "Really? Kings and queens? How does that work?"

"It's different in every country. Some have regional kings, others have one for the entire country. The United States has one for every state. They don't do things by human standards, but its our government. It's been established far longer than any other government in history. In fact, humans actually got the idea of government from us," Stefan informed her. He shook his head and continued. "Either way, to pledge yourself to any one king or queen means exactly that. You're their subject until you either change fealty or die."

"Can you be loyal to one and live somewhere else?"

Stefan nodded. "Yes, but you have to notify the right people. If you're found living outside your fealty, you can be tried for treason by your sovereign and trespassing by the other."

"That sounds complicated," she said with a frown.

He grinned and shrugged. "It can be. There are a lot of rules and intricate details, but once you know the basics, the rest is easy."

"Sure."

Stefan let go of her hand and reached out to pick up the letter again. "I'll tell you more about everything later," he promised and handed the letter to her. "This came in the mail today. It's from Virginia's king, the one I owe my fealty to."

Elena skimmed the letter. Most of it was formality, informing Stefan that the king had requested his presence immediately. All Elena could make of it was that Stefan was needed for some sort of errand. It wasn't until she got to the end that surprise got the better of her. The king's signature with a printed name underneath had startled her. _Damon Salvatore_ it read. Her eyes lifted to Stefan's and he nodded.

"Yes, the King of Virginia is my brother."

For a moment, Elena couldn't seem to speak. Her thoughts were jumbled as she tried to say too many things at once. "Y-you have a brother?"

Stefan nodded again.

"Wow. I didn't think that was possible. I've never heard of vampire relatives."

"It is very rare."

Elena put her hands over her heart and smiled at him. "I can't even imagine how close you two must have been to turn and be together forever."

Stefan gave a hard stare, one that let Elena see the pain and betrayal in his eyes. "We didn't turn for each other. The one thing Damon and I are not is close. In fact, we're far from it." He stood up and plucked the letter from her hands. "I should get going. He'll make things even worse for me if I keep him waiting longer than I have to."

Elena got to her feet and followed him to his room. "I want to go."

"No," he said, his eyes meeting hers instantly. "You are staying as far away from him as you possibly can."

"He's your brother, Stefan."

He shook his head. "He's my king. There's a difference."

"If you hate him so much, why are you loyal to him? Why did you chose to give him your fealty when you could give it to anyone?"

"Because Damon made sure that no one wanted to take me in. He did everything in his power to make sure that I had no choice but to come to him and beg for his mercy." He shook his head a bit more forcefully. "No, you're not going to meet him."

"Give me one good reason why? I don't want to hear 'because' or 'I hate him.' I want a real, solid answer that I can understand. You know I hate being told no."

He snorted. He was well aware of her aversion to the word no. It was never in a selfish way which was what had drawn him to her among other things. It was more of an independent and fearless attitude. Although sometimes, like now, it was the thing he hated most about her.

"Well?"

"Because Damon will take you away from me."

Elena stared at him with disbelief. "I don't-"

"He can do it. You might not have to answer to you, but he can order me to never see you again and I would have to comply. He could force you to stay there with him. He could..." he stopped and shook his head. "No, Elena. It's too dangerous."

"I'll have to meet him eventually you know. If we stay together long enough he's going to hear about your relationship if he hasn't already and he's probably going to want to meet me." She moved closer to him and took his hands in hers. "Please?" she asked, pleading with her eyes in a way that she knew it was hard for him to say no to. "All I want to do is meet your brother. Then you can go on your errand and I'll go home."

"It won't be that simple," Stefan insisted, but his resistance was already fading.

Elena seized the opportunity and reached up to cup his face. She closed the gap between them and placed her lips on his neck. "It will be that simple," she breathed, placing a few kisses onto his skin. "I meet your brother. We have dinner or lunch and then we part ways the following morning." She stopped and looked up at him noticing his eyes darkening with lust.

He groaned and stepped away from her. "Just remember that _you_ wanted this," he said.

She nodded, a smile creeping onto her face as her joy escalated. "I just need to run home and get the essentials. Should I meet you back here?"

"No, I'll pick you up," he assured her. Elena gave him a look and he sighed. "I _will_."

Satisfied with the answer, knowing he meant it, she nodded and left. Once she was gone, Stefan stared at the open door and cursed. There was no way this was going to end well for any of them. He contemplated going without her, but she knew she would track him down and cause more of a problem. With a sigh, he continued packing.


	2. Chapter 2

**a/n: I cannot tell you how much fun I'm having with this one. :) I'm glad you guys are liking it so far.**

TWO

The car ride had been long and silent until Stefan pulled over to the side of the road in the middle of nowhere. Elena looked around and then finally settled her gaze on him. "We're not there yet are we?"

He shook his head and turned in his seat to look at her. "We're close, about a few miles away."

"Then why did you stop here?"

"Because this is the edge of his property. Once you cross that line, there's no going back unless he allows it."

"He's not my king."

Stefan just gave her a hard stare. "Try telling him that," he muttered and shook his head. He reached over and took her hand in his. "I just want to tell you a few things about him before we get there."

"Like?" she asked. She had a feeling that whatever he was going to say was negative.

"He may seem nice and charming, but he's a monster. He _is_ the vampire from all the horror movies that won't hesitate to kill out of boredom."

"Humans do that too," she argued. She didn't like the idea of Stefan filling her head with a negative image of his brother. She wanted the ability to meet him and judge him for herself. She pulled her hands away and started at him. "What aren't you telling me? Why are you so afraid that something is going to happen to me?"

"Because I know Damon."

She shook her head. "That's not an answer."

He sighed and raked a hand through his hair. "Like I said, I'm afraid he'll take you from me."

"And why would he do that?"

"To get back at me."

"For what?" Elena was not ready to let it go like he wanted her to.

He made a noise out of frustration, something akin to a growl, and looked away from her as he answered. "Five hundred years ago there was a girl. I fell in love with her and she with me. Then Damon had to go and take her from me."

"If that were true, why would he want to get back at you?"

"He claims to have loved her first."

"Did he?"

Stefan shook his head. "It was impossible. He was away at school when she first arrived. But if you ask him, he'll say I took her away from him."

"What happened after that?"

"We died," he answered with a tone that clearly said he was done talking about it. After a moment of silence, Stefan reached for one of the bags in the backseat. He pulled out a bottle of water and handed it to Elena. "I want you to keep this under the bed or somewhere safe in the room. I want you to take a sip every other day, first thing in the morning. In fact, I want you to drink some of it now."

"What is it?"

"Vervain."

Elena looked at him with wide eyes. She knew it was an herb that was dangerous to vampires.

"If I give you a necklace or some other piece of jewelry, Damon will take it from you. This way, I know you'll be protected."

"I highly doubt he would compel you."

"I wasn't necessarily talking about just him," he said, making Elena shiver. "Just promise me that you won't forget."

She nodded and took a drink before putting the bottle into her purse. "I won't."

"Thank you," Stefan said. And with that, they were on the road again.

* * *

><p>When they arrived, Elena's jaw dropped. The mansion was even bigger than she ever would have pictured. It was plantation style with shutters on every window and big white columns flagging the main entrance. The lawn was well manicured and she could even seen a hint of what looked like a real garden in the back with a hedge maze. What drew her attention most was the wrap around porch on the second floor. As they pulled up to the house, Elena was too awestruck to notice that someone had opened her door and helped her to her feet.<p>

"Elena?" Stefan's voice broke her out of her daze and she blinked a few times before smiling at the man holding her hand. He smiled back and slowly released her hand. The moment he did, Stefan grabbed her and yanked her to his side. "Elena, this is Elijah, Elijah, this is Elena," he introduced them with a tight voice.

Elijah inclined his head to her before giving Stefan a sly smile. "I am the king's right hand man. If you need anything Miss Elena, do not hesitate to ask. As for you, the king has requested your presence immediately."

"I can't get settled first?"

"No," Elijah answered.

Stefan's jaw ticked as he stared at Elijah for a moment before turning back to Elena. "I'll come find you when I'm done, okay?"

"I will take you to your room."

"Actually, would it be okay if I waited in the garden?" she asked, looking at Elijah.

"Certainly."

She grinned and looked at Stefan. He pulled her to him and held her tight. He did not want to leave her. "I'll be fine," she assured him, pulling back to drop a kiss on his cheek. "I'll see you later."

Elijah extended his hand to her. "We will make sure your things arrive in the guest suite. Master Damon is in his office," he said to Stefan before leading Elena around the side of the mansion.

Stefan waited until they were out of sight before he sped to Damon's office. He closed the door with a little more force than necessary. Damon looked up from his spot behind the desk. He smirked and removed his feet from the desk in order to stand and greet his brother properly. "Ah, Stefan. So glad you could make it."

"It's not like you gave me a choice."

Damon moved from behind the desk and clapped his hand on Stefan's back. "You always have a choice little brother," he said and let his smirk disappear, reminding Stefan that there would be consequences if he made the "wrong" choice.

"Let's skip the pleasantries," Stefan said, stepping back from Damon's touch. "What could have been so important that I couldn't get Elena settled in properly?"

"Speaking of this Elena girl, why haven't I been informed of your recent relationship status?"

Stefan's jaw locked as he glared at Damon. "You know why," he said quietly.

Slowly, Damon grinned. It was sinister, reminding Stefan that he was in the presence of someone very ruthless. "Oh yes. I've heard of her resemblance to Katherine," he said, crossing his arms over his chest. "You should have known better than to try and keep her from me. I have eyes and ears everywhere."

"It was her idea to come along. She wanted to meet my brother," Stefan admitted. "No matter how much I tried to convince her to stay home."

"You really do think of me as a monster, don't you?"

"You've given me no evidence to the contrary."

Damon smirked, but said nothing more on the subject. He knew how the end of their conversation would be and Stefan would hate him. He had been planning this errand since he had first heard of Elena and seen the photographs his private eye had taken. He hadn't been expecting getting her to the mansion to be so easy, but he interpreted it as the universe's way as telling him it was going to work.

He turned to his desk and picked up a large manila envelope. He handed it to Stefan and then leaned back against the desk. "Let's get down to business, shall we?"

Stefan eyed him wearily before opening the envelope. After skimming the first few pages, he looked back up at Damon. "What the hell is this?"

"Your mission."

Stefan looked back at the paperwork in his hands. "This is all pertaining to Queen Caroline of California." Damon gave a slight nod of his head to which Stefan ground his teeth. He knew where this was going and it didn't bode well for him. "And why would that be?" he asked, his voice tight.

"Now you're learning," Damon said and stood up straight again as he filled Stefan in on the details of his mission. "As I'm sure you've heard, Miss Forbes is quite young. In fact, I think she might be the youngest to ever take the crown. The former sovereign and I were in the process of striking a deal between us, making us loyal to one another and all that technical nonsense. I want you to ensure that the deal still goes through. And I want no less then what I ask for. You are taking the contract to her and you are not to come back until she has agreed to every last detail."

Stefan stopped looking through the papers once Damon stopped speaking. Their gazes met and Damon could tell his brother was furious. It amused him to no end. "I could be there for years. You're asking too much."

"California is in turmoil. They need help to keep themselves afloat. I have just what they need. Caroline would be a fool not to agree."

Stefan closed the envelope and shook his head. "You're asking too much of me, Damon."

"I have faith in you," Damon replied, that mischievous look in his eye. "To ensure that it gets done in a reasonable amount of time, I will keep Elena here with me. Call it extra incentive to close the deal."

Stefan could feel his body shake with anger and it was all he could do not to lash out at him. King or not. "Elena is not one of your loyal vampires, nor is she one of your donors. She has a job, she's in school, and she has a family. You can't just keep her here."

"And who's going to stop me?"

Stefan growled. "Damn it, Damon! I'll do what you ask, just let Elena go home. She came here to meet you, not to be your captive."

"She will not be staying here as a prisoner."

"So she's free to go?"

"More or less," Damon answered and pressed a button on his desk. A few seconds later, the door opened and another of his most trusted men entered the room. "Ric will escort you to the car. Your stuff has already been loaded up. You're to leave immediately."

"I have to say goodbye to Elena."

"I'll tell her for you," Damon said as he strode across the room to leave. Stefan grabbed him as he passed, and Ric reached for the stake at his belt. Damon shook his head, signaling for him to stand down. "I suggest," he said in a low voice that only Stefan would hear. "That you do as you're told. I'm willing to make Elena as comfortable as possible, but your behaviour are making it quite difficult to be generous."

Stefan took a deep breath and let go. "If you hurt her..."

"Have a nice trip," Damon said as he headed towards the garden, leaving his brother and Ric behind.

* * *

><p>Elena was captivated by the garden. She had always wanted to see something like this in real life, but never had she imagined it would be this amazing. She walked around, exploring everything without really looking because there was too much to see. After a few minutes, she realized that Elijah was a few paces back, watching her silently. "I'm sorry, I'm being rude," she said and turned back around to face him. "Do you have any idea when Stefan will be back?"<p>

Elijah shook his head. "I was not given a time."

Elena sat on a stone bench that was shaded by two large oak trees. She patted the spot next to her and pouted when he declined. She figured it had something to do with custom, and left it alone. "How old are you if you don't mind my asking?"

"I am very old."

"Older than Stefan and Damon?"

He inclined his head. "Much."

"Then why are you not a king?"

"I was once upon a time," he answered. "I led my own army and Damon was my second in command. Even for as young as he was, he was the best I could ask for. When the time came for him to take the throne, he asked if I would be his second. After the number of times he had saved my life, I owed him that much at least."

"Wow," Elena breathed and shook her head. "I have so much to learn about this stuff."

Before Elijah could reply, they were interrupted. He tensed as another man approached them, his eyes focused on Elena. The heat coming out of those icy blue eyes was making it hard to breathe. There was something about him and made her heart skip a beat and she could only stare back at him. "Elijah, you may leave. Thank you."

"Most welcome," he said and tipped his head to Elena before leaving the two of them alone.

Damon extended his hand and smiled sweetly at Elena. "I am Damon Salvatore. You must be Elena Gilbert."

Elena got to her feet and took his hand. Her eyes went wide in surprise as he brought it to his lips instead of simply giving it a shake. "T-that's me," she said, cursing herself for stuttering. She shook her head and looked around. "Where's Stefan?"

His smile turned apologetic and Elena's stomach turned. "I regret to inform you that Stefan had to leave immediately. I entrusted him with an errand of upmost importance."

"So important you couldn't let him say goodbye to me?" she asked. Suddenly, everything Stefan had said to her earlier was making sense.

"I told him I would take good care of you until his return."

She took a step back and shook her head. "Uh, no. If Stefan's not coming back for awhile, I'll just go home."

As she attempted to walk away, Damon sped to stop her. He could see the hate in her eyes and the fear that lay beneath it. He was beyond amazed at how much she resembled Katherine, but there was so much to her and it was drawing him in. "I'm afraid I can't allow that."

"Allow that? You're not my king," she snapped and tried to move around him only to have him block her again. After the third attempt, she stared up at him in defiance. "I have a life to get back to. I only agreed to stay for a night, no more than that."

"Your life will be there when you return."

"Damon-"

"As I told Stefan, I can make your stay here pleasant, or I can make it miserable. The choice is up to you. However, I should inform you that I have a loyal staff guarding the perimeter. No one comes or _goes_ unless I say so. Do you understand?" The burning hate from her chocolate brown eyes told him that she did. "Good," he said and held out his arm for her to take. "I'd like to escort you to your room now. I wouldn't want you getting lost," he added.

Elena hesitated for a moment, glaring at him. In the end, she gave in and linked her arm with his. With that, he led her back into the mansion and up to the guest suite that she was supposed to have shared with Stefan.


	3. Chapter 3

THREE

After a few days, Elena was beyond frustrated. She had told the guard outside her door that she wanted to speak to Damon only to be told that he was busy. Every time she tried to leave, the guard would block her way and lock the door from the outside. They had even taken her cell phone so that she couldn't call out. Not even the room had a phone or a computer. The only chance at escape was the window, but every time she thought about it she remembered Damon's not so verbal threat of what was out there, waiting for her to run.

Just as she had all but given up, the door opened and Elijah entered the room. "Master Salvatore will speak to you now."

Elena glared at him, wanting to tell him off, but she knew he was only the messenger. She looked down at herself and sighed. As of now, she was down to her last clean shirt and underwear. Even though she had planned on one night only, she always packed for a few extra days. Something her mother taught her way back when. "Fine," she mumbled and followed Elijah down the hall. The man who had been guarding the door walked behind her, not that he was needed. She was sure that if she tried to run, Elijah would catch her before she got very far.

They stopped at the end of a long hall on the main floor. Elijah stood still as if he were listening and then stepped aside for Elena. He pointed towards the door. "Master Damon is ready for you."

"Thanks," she mumbled and entered the room, head held high. She was determined to argue until she couldn't speak anymore.

Damon did a double take from his desk as she walked in. He still couldn't get over how much she looked like Katherine. It had been part of the reason he had held off on seeing her for a few days, but he knew now was a good a time as any. He got to his feet and moved closer to her, frowning at the dark circles under her eyes. "You don't look so good."

"I want to go home," she said.

"You will."

"Now."

He sighed and shook his head. He hadn't counted on her being this stubborn. He knew that she had declined the food he had brought to her room because she didn't want to be there. What surprised him the most was that he cared. It was another reason why he hadn't dealt with her the past few days. He had seen the disappointment in her eyes that he could see again now and it struck something in him.

"When is Stefan coming back?" she asked when she sensed that he wasn't going to say anything else on her leaving.

"When he closes the deal."

"Can I speak to him?"

"No."

Elena let out a noise of frustration. "I have a life and a family and I haven't spoken to them since you forced me to stay here. They're going to assume the worst and I don't want that. If you're going to keep me, let me talk to them. Let me tell them that I'm okay."

"So they can come rescue you?" he challenged. "I assure you, that would end badly for all of those involved.

"I know that," she said quietly. "I was just going to tell them something."

The desperation in her voice made him narrow his eyes. He beckoned her forward and pointed to the phone. "You may call _one_ person. You are not to tell them anything about where you are or why you're here, do you understand?"

She could see his pupils dilating and she clutched the receiver. "Are you trying to compel me?"

She couldn't help but smirk at the look of shock on his face. It was brief before he narrowed his eyes and muttered something she couldn't understand. "Stefan gave you vervain didn't he?"

"Yes."

He shrugged and crossed his arms. "I didn't think he would be so bold," he muttered and then tilted his head to the side. "Are you going to call someone or not?"

"Not with you here."

"I could be outside the door and I'll still hear you," he said in a bored tone.

"I already told you I won't say anything about where I am and why I'm here. Can't you just give me some space? Just this once?"

He stared at her and inclined his head. "How about this? I go get something for you to eat while you make your call and when I come back you eat. Do we have a deal?"

Since it was the only way he was going to leave her alone, Elena nodded. "Deal."

"I'll have a human guard out there. He won't be able to listen to your call, but he'll be there in case you try to escape."

"I haven't tried yet, I'm not going to try now," she assured him. She never doubted the fact that she would get hurt, probably fatally, if she attempted to run. She would rather be here and be miserable than dead.

Damon studied her for a moment before leaving. The moment he was gone, Elena's body relaxed. She didn't know how tense she was until she was alone. She sank into the chair behind the desk and gave herself a moment or two before she thought of who to call. She knew her Jeremy was probably in class as was Jenna. That left John. Not that she really wanted to talk to him, but he would be able to pass along the message to the other two.

He answered on the first ring. "Hello?"

"Hey, it's Elena."

There was a pause. "Where are you? Jenna's been worried. She said you haven't been home and you didn't leave a note. She says Stefan's not answering her either."

"I know, I feel really bad about it. Stefan got me tickets for a surprise getaway and I was too excited that I forgot to tell Jenna. We haven't had much time to say anything since we left, that's why I'm calling now. Our phones are dead and we forgot our chargers."

"You're lying."

Elena sighed. Of course he would be able to see right through her. He always had been. "All you need to know is that I'm alright."

"Where are you?"

"I'm safe," she answered. If there was one thing John hated most, it was vampires.

"Try that again."

"It's the truth."

"Elena-"

"Just please," she started, putting sincerity into her voice. "Just tell Jenna and Jeremy that I love them and I'll be home before they know it." Without waiting for his response, she hung up and sat back in the chair, trying not to cry.

A minute later, Damon came into the room carrying a plate of food. He set it in front of her and sat on the edge of the desk, watching as she played with the contents. "You promised you would eat."

"I'm getting there." The truth was she was even less hungry than before.

"Who did you call?" he asked, curious.

"My uncle John," she said and then winced. Technically he wasn't her uncle, but she certainly wasn't ready to call him her father either.

Damon started at her and then shot to his feet, making her jump slightly. "John Gilbert? You called John Gilbert?"

"Yes?"

He shook his head and paced in front of the desk. Soon, he was laughing hysterically. "Of course John Gilbert is your uncle. It's just too fucking perfect."

Elena could only stare at him. "You said I could call one person."

Damon smirked at her. "I know what I said, it just never dawned on me that the two of you had any relation."

"How do you know him?" Elena asked, finally putting a forkful of food into her mouth.

Damon waited until she swallowed before he answered. "He runs an anti-vampire group and targets me directly. He's defaced three of my nightclubs this week. That's why I've been so busy."

Elena set her fork down and pushed the plate away from her. "I didn't know that. I know he's not a big fan of vampires, but I didn't know he was an extremist."

"You sound like you don't like him," Damon said, smirking at her. "Looks like we have something in common after all."

There was a knock at the door, making him turn, but not before he saw the smile on her lips. It was Elijah that entered the room. "May I have a word?" he asked, looking at Damon.

He nodded and turned back to Elena. "Eat that before I get back," he demanded and left the room with Elijah.

Elena stared at the food. The more she stared, the more her stomach started to growl. Before she knew it, half the plate was gone and she felt more full than ever before. She refused to eat another bite. When Damon returned, he eyed the plate and then her. "Before you say anything, I'm full," she said.

"You ate most of it. That's all I wanted," he said and returned to sitting on the desk so that he was facing her. "I know that you want to go home, but I need to keep you here to make sure that Stefan does what he's supposed to. Without the incentive, I know he'll screw it up. In the meantime, I have an offer for you that I hope will make your stay here more to your liking."

"I'm listening," she said, curious to hear what he had to say even though she was determined to disagree with everything.

"There are two reasons why humans stay at the home of a vampire whether they are royal or not. I'm sure you've heard of the Donor Law?"

"Yes."

"What is it?" he asked, wanting to hear if she completely understood it.

Elena swallowed hard and her cheeks flushed slightly. Damon heard the way her heart skipped a beat and he tilted his head. Damon tensed as he saw the tip of her tongue swipe across her lips.

"The Donor Law makes your existence a little easier. Vampires may have as many donors as they wish as long as the participants are willing and sign the proper agreements." She stopped and met his gaze. "Most of them are just groupies and I'm sure the novelty wears off in time."

"Why would you say that?"

"Because I can't imagine why anyone would sign their life away to willingly become a walking blood bank."

"And yet you're dating a vampire."

She glared at him and held her head high as she stood up. "I didn't know Stefan was a vampire until we had already started dating. And not that it's any of your business, but we've never... He's never..." Elena couldn't complete the sentence, but from the look on Damon's face, she was pretty sure that he understood her meaning.

He snorted. "Of course Stefan would never bite anyone. He prefers to snack on animals than human blood. He still thinks of vampirism as a curse." He sighed and shrugged his shoulders. "As for being a walking blood bank, let me assure you that if a bite is done correctly, it can be pleasurable for the human as well as the vampire."

Elena's eyes filled with a mix of doubt and curiosity.

"I would be more than happy to demonstrate," he said, getting to his feet as well, making him that much closer to Elena.

"N-no," she answered, but Damon heard the uncertainty.

"Suit yourself. Just know the offer is always available." He smirked mischievously at her and then continued on to the point he had originally been working towards. "The other reason that humans stay with vampires is because they work for them."

"Really?" she asked. She had never really understood how a human could work for a vampire.

He inclined his head. "I have a few humans that are loyal to me on my staff. Most vampires do not have trinkets that allow them to go out in the sun like I do. It is how vampires get things done. They end up being like errand runners if that makes any sense."

Elena thought about it and nodded. "Yeah, I guess it does."

"Now that modern technology has given us the web cam, we mostly do our business that way. Contrary to popular belief, vampires don't spend their days in a coffin."

Elena gave a small smile, earning one from Damon as well. "So what does this have to do with me?"

"I've recently found myself without an advisor and I could use someone to fill that position."

Elena shuddered inwardly, not wanting to think about how he had found himself with the available position. "What does an advisor do?" Not that she really cared seeing as how she was willing to do whatever her offered as long as she didn't have to be a donor.

"Mostly secretarial work. My advisor is with me for the majority of the day. They sit in meetings with me, help me figure out agreements, and a number of other things."

Elena swallowed hard. "That seems like a bit much."

"I know you can do it."

"You don't know anything about me."

"I know that you take a business course every semester. You can handle this."

Elena took a deep breath and straightened her stance, not liking the fact that he had obviously done some digging on her. "You make it sound like I'm going to be here for awhile. How long is Stefan going to be gone?"

He shrugged. "As long as it takes."

Elena understood that to mean that she could be here for months.

"I will pay you for your work," he added. "I may be forcing you to stay, but if you choose to work for me, you will be rewarded for your efforts."

"And what if it doesn't work out? What if we can't work together?"

"We'll never know until we try."

Again, this was better than the alternative. "Alright."

Damon grinned at her. "Tomorrow, you'll join me for dinner and I'll go over the details of your duties with you. You'll start the morning after that." He noticed the way Elena's eyes widened in alarm. "Elena?"

"I don't have anything to wear. I only packed for a few days."

He nodded. "By the time you get up tomorrow, you'll have a brand new wardrobe."

Elena narrowed her eyes, trying to imagine the garish outfits he would likely pick for her. "Okay," she muttered weakly. She nodded and then let her body relax. "I'll go back to my room now."

Damon grabbed her as she walked past him. He lowered his lips to her ear and whispered, "I would advise that you keep the vervain a secret between me and you."

Elena thought that over and turned her head to ask why, but the will to speak died her throat as she turned. Surprise washed over them both as their lips met. Their bodies went stock still as the realization hit them. Elena was the first to pull away. Without a word, she left his office, meeting Elijah who was to escort her back to her room. Damon stood there, staring after her, too stunned to even comprehend what had happened between them.


	4. Chapter 4

**a/n: Sorry guys, I didn't mean to leave you hanging for so long. Thanks for sticking with me :) I hope to finish this one soon and then focus on my other stories.**

FOUR

True to his word, Elena had woken up to a closet full of clothes. Expensive clothes. Everything she tried on fit as though it had been made specifically for her. She knew she should feel strange that he had gotten her size right, but at the moment, she couldn't seem to care. Her eyes had lit up when she saw the contents of the wardrobe. It was like every piece of clothing she had dreamed about owning was there. All her favorite designers and ones she had never heard of. She had blushed when she found lingerie neatly folded in a drawer. And yet, the only thing that disturbed her was the fact that someone had been in the room while she slept.

It wasn't until someone knocked on her door that she realized how long she had been playing dress up. She tried to speak, to tell the person to give her a moment, but no words would come out. Instead, she blushed a little and grinned sheepishly as Elijah came in carrying a tray with lunch on it.

He smirked at her as she faced him in one of the casual sundresses. "I'm glad the wardrobe is to your liking."

"Damon has great taste," she said and cleared her throat, thinking of their brief kiss. It had kept her up most of the night because she hadn't been able to stop thinking about it. "Is it lunch time already?" she asked. She could have sworn no one came for breakfast.

He inclined his head. "There was...business to attend earlier," he explained, referencing to the lack of breakfast. "Master Salvatore sends his apologies."

She shrugged. "I wasn't really hungry anyway. Thank you."

"He also wanted me to remind you that the two of you are to dine together tonight."

"That makes it sound so fancy," Elena said uneasily.

"He mentioned that you should dress in whatever you are comfortable with."

That made Elena feel only a little better. She was still nervous about seeing him again. Especially after the way their conversation ended yesterday. She nodded quickly. "Alright. I'd ask what time, but I have a feeling you'll just show up when he's ready for me."

Elijah smirked. "I'll come around about six," he answered. "If you'd like, I can escort you to the garden. You've been in here for a few days."

Elena's eyes lit up at that. "I would like that very much."

"You could even take your lunch outside."

Her grin widened and she nodded rapidly. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," he said and picked up the tray before leading the way outside.

* * *

><p>After a few hours in the garden, Elijah brought Elena back to her room, promising to return at five to six. Elena took her time getting ready, using the luxurious bath products that filled her private bath. It was becoming harder and harder to stay angry with Damon as she relaxed in the tub with the scent of vanilla, raspberries, and jasmine invading her senses. The only anger she experienced was a small bit of it when it was time to get out. Elena still had plenty of time to do her hair and make-up, what little she did of it anyway.<p>

When it came time to pick out what she was going to wear, Elena could only stare at the clothes before her. Even the most casual piece in her closet was something she would have chosen to wear to a five star restaurant. She bit her lip before reaching in to grab the first thing that came to mind. It was a dark purple halter dress that came to the middle of her thighs. After putting on the heels that went best with the outfit, Elena moved to stand in front of mirror. Before she had any time to change her mind, there was a knock at the door and then Elijah stepped into the room.

"You look stunning," he complimented.

"Thanks," she replied, still staring at her reflection. She looked the same, yet different. What shook her the most was the fact that she was eager to know what Damon thought of her in this. She cleared her throat and tore her gaze away from the mirror. "Ready," she said, looking at Elijah.

He led her downstairs near the office where she had talked to Damon the previous night. She felt her cheeks flush as she relived their brief kiss for the millionth time. When they approached the dining room, Elena stopped short and did a double take. "Elena?" he asked, having seen her stop.

"It's...small," she said, looking around. Compared to everything else in this house, the dining room was modest. It was only slightly bigger than the one at her childhood home.

"That's because most of the occupants here do not use this room," came Damon's voice from the entrance on the opposite side of the room.

Elena understood what he meant and she felt her cheeks flush again. "Oh."

"Thank you Elijah," he said, signaling for the elder vampire to leave. Elijah bowed and left the two of them alone. Damon stared at Elena, taking in the sight of her. He had constantly been telling himself he wouldn't compare her to Katherine and yet, he found himself doing so. He swallowed tight as his eyes sought hers and he saw the way she shifted nervously. "You look amazing."

"Thank you," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

He inclined his head and then moved to pull out a chair from the table. "Please, sit down."

"Thanks," she said again as she took a seat. She watched him as he sat next to her at the head of the table. "I do have one quick question."

"Of course you do," he muttered, giving her that smirk of his.

"Why do you want to get to know me if you've had a private investigator follow me? I'm sure you have all the information you need."

"Those are all facts. That tells me what you've done, but it doesn't tell me the kind of person you are. It doesn't show me your personality or your fiery nature." He paused to smile again. "Besides, this is about you getting to know me and what your job will entail."

Elena nodded, accepting his explanation. Before either of them could say anything else, the door Damon had used opened and three men came out carrying trays. Elena guessed they were coming from the kitchen and whatever they were carrying smelled divine. They set the trays down in front of them and arranged the food before leaving them alone again. Elena was glad she wasn't a picky eater because she dove right in.

Damon chuckled as he watched her take her first bite. His humor faded as she closed her eyes part way and moaned softly at the taste. Suddenly, his slacks felt less comfortable and he moved a bit. "It's nice to know that you're not a picky eater. I always hate it when someone needs to know what it is," he said after they had each taken a few more bites. That was when he noticed the look she was giving him. "What?" he added.

"You're making it very hard to hate you."

"I'm surprised you're still trying," he replied, giving her a slight grin. "Then again, I can't imagine all the vile things Stefan said about me."

Elena shrugged. "He said that you were ruthless. That you're the vampire from all the horror movies."

Damon inclined his head. "It's all very circumstantial. Never forget, Elena. I am a creature of darkness. Unlike Stefan, I've learned to relish in this new life. I am not above killing for what I want. I'm not even above killing when I'm bored."

Elena licked her lips, a motion that had Damon feeling more uncomfortable in his slacks then before. "That's what Stefan said too. I told him humans kill out of boredom too. He made it sound like you were going to hurt me for the fun of it. Just because you could."

He stared at her then, his eyes burning into hers in a way that held her motionless. "I will _never_ hurt you, Elena. You have my word on that."

Elena's brows furrowed and she began to pout. "I believe you. I have no idea why or why I trust you as much as I do, but..." she shook her head.

"What exactly did Stefan say when he warned me about you? Did he tell you why he would have reason to believe that I would hurt you?"

"He said that you would do something to me to get back at him."

"For?" he asked, wanting to know how much he had told her about Katherine.

She shrugged and began to play with her food. "Because of some girl you both knew when you were human." She put her fork down and leaned back in her chair, no longer hungry. She stared at him and tilted her head to the side. "Tell me about her."

Damon inclined his head and obliged. "Her name was Katherine. She was a German aristocrat and our fathers were friends. She got sick to the point where she could barely move and then she got better. That was when her father decided to bring her to Italy to meet us. If only her father knew what she had turned into to become better."

"She turned."

Damon nodded again. "There was a man named Klaus in her village and he liked her. She asked him to turn her and he did." He took a deep breath and continued. Elena felt her heart break a little. She could see the pain in his eyes as he talked about her. "Even as a vampire she was still pretty weak. Either that or she was using that to lure us in," he added with a touch of bitterness.

"Which one of you met her first?"

Damon studied her. He knew that Stefan had probably told her that he took him from Stefan, but from the look Elena was giving him, he wasn't sure she believed him. "Does it matter? It doesn't change how things turned out."

Elena thought about that and nodded in agreement. "No, I guess it doesn't." Her brows furrowed again. "But then why would Stefan say that you wanted to get back at him by using me?"

"Because Stefan is a moron," Damon answered with a bored tone. Even as he said that, he felt a little guilt. It had been his original intention. Then he had met her and the will to hurt her went away. She wasn't Katherine; she was better.

"What happened after you met her?"

"We fell in love with her," he replied. "We both knew she was seeing us both, but neither of us cared. I knew what she was from the beginning, but Stefan was oblivious. Katherine feared that if he found out he would desert her. Every time she showed her true self, she compelled him to forget."

"But he did find out?"

He nodded. "She finally compelled him to not be afraid and to keep it a secret."

Elena thought it over and turned in her chair so that she could look at him better. "So she's the one that turned you?"

"Yes, but not in the traditional sense," Damon said and sighed heavily before he explained. "Stefan and I were arguing more than usual about our situation. Neither of us wanted to share anymore so we gave Katherine a choice. Apparently she chose both of us because when I went out at twilight to meet her, Stefan was headed that way too. We argued until we both decided to confront her again. When we got there..." his voice trailed off and his eyes took on a faraway look. "When we got to the spot where she told her to meet us, the sun had just started rising. At the base of the tree was a pile of ashes and the ring she wore to protect her from the sun."

Elena gasped slightly and surprised them both by reaching forward to take his hand in hers. "I'm sorry."

He nodded his thanks and continued. "Stefan and I were so angry at each other. We fought all the way back to the house. He was the first to grab a sword and come at me. Just as I picked one up, he stabbed me. I had just enough strength to return the favor. We died a few seconds later."

Elena's eyes went wide and she let go of his hand to place it over her lips. Stefan had killed his brother first. She shook her head and stared at Damon. "That's horrible."

"It is what it is," he said with a careless shrug. "Does that change your views on Saint Stefan?"

Elena said nothing, giving him his answer.

"There's more you should know," he said. "About Katherine."

"What?" Elena asked, wanting nothing more than to have some time alone to rethink her decision about Stefan.

Damon braced himself, knowing that she would react badly. "I'll show you," he said, getting up. Elena's eyes tracked his every movement, going wide when he extended his hand for her to take. Slowly, she placed her hand in his and let him lead her away from the dinning room.

"Where are we going?" she asked.

He said nothing until they turned down a hallway near the back of the mansion and he stopped. He nodded towards a drawing on the wall and Elena's gaze followed his. The moment her eyes found what he was showing her, she pulled her hand from his to cover her lips as she gasped in shock. It was a framed drawing of _her_.

"That's Katherine," Damon said, keeping his voice light. He could hear the way her heart rate increased and the way her breathing slowed down. Her eyes were wide as she stared at the drawing. It was something he had done on one of their last nights together. He had made sure to take that from the house before he left.

"I... She..." Elena shook her head, the words wouldn't come out. She turned to look at Damon and took a step back. Her eyes narrowed and her hands balled into fists at her sides. "So this has nothing to do with the fact that I look like her?" she said, her tone full of disbelief and anger.

"Elena-" he started and took a step towards her.

She recoiled, bouncing off the wall slightly. "This has _everything_ to do with her. That's why you're keeping me here. This isn't to get back at Stefan," she babbled. "You're keeping me here because of _her_. I'm not her, Damon. I'm not Katherine and I refuse to be kept here as a replacement or a toy for you to play with." She shook her head again and moved further away.

Damon grabbed her bicep and held her firmly in place. "Listen to me," he said, trying to keep himself in control. "I am not keeping you here for something like that. I'm twisted, but I'm not that sick." Elena snorted and he shook her slightly. She narrowed her eyes at him and struggled a little more. "I'll admit, when I found out that you looked like her, I had every intention of doing something like that, but then I started learning about you. When I met you, everything I had planned went out the window. I was going to use you to mess with Stefan, but something changed. There's something about you," he said, pausing to stroke her cheek with his other hand.

He let go of her slowly and she took half a step back, her eyes glued to his. "And that's supposed to make me feel better?"

He shrugged. "I want you to work for me, Elena. I know you'll be good at it and I enjoy your company." He grinned impishly at her. "It's been awhile since anyone's stood up to me the way you do."

Elena shook her head. "I can't do this. I _won't_ do this," she said and started to walk away again.

Damon grabbed her again, this time pinning her between his body and the wall. "I hate the fact that you look like her, but..." his voice trailed off and Elena saw a flicker of emotion in his eyes.

"But what?" she asked softly

"It doesn't change how I feel about you," he answered in a barely audible voice. He leaned in so that his lips were only centimeters away from hers. He smirked as her breath hitched and her heart fluttered. "And I know you feel something for me too."

Instead of giving her a chance to answer, he closed the gap between them and captured her lips with his. Despite the anger that was welling up inside her, Elena found herself clutching his shirt with one hand to pull him closer as her other hand sunk into his hair. Damon's hands dropped to her hips, pulling her as close as he possibly could. His tongue only slid across her lips once before they parted to let him in. Instantly he began to devour her, savoring every moment of their kiss.

Elena was the one to break contact only for the need to breathe. She tilted her head up as Damon buried his face in the crook of her neck. He placed small kisses on her skin as she caught her breath. When the moment passed and Elena could think clearly, she shoved at him. He moved back and stared at her, waiting to see what would happen next. She didn't say a word, just started walking away; this time he let her.

"Elena," he called after her softly. She stopped, but didn't turn back to look at him. "My office tomorrow morning at eight. I assume you remember how to find your way to it?"

She gave a short nod and continued onto her room, trying to sort through over what had just happened and what it meant. Leaving him to do the same as he stood there, watching her walk away.


	5. Chapter 5

**a/n: so for whatever reason, this chapter was extremely easy to write; which proves that my writer's block is loosening up! Yay! I even worked it out so that this story will have an extra chapter!**

FIVE

Stefan paced in front of Caroline's office. After three weeks of getting brushed off and cancelled on, he was determined to see her and demand that she sign the agreement. He had already spent too much time away from Elena and he couldn't even imagine what hell Damon was putting her through. Stefan shook his head and raked a hand through his hair. "This is ridiculous," he muttered.

"I told you the Queen was busy," her guard mentioned from his post outside her door.

Stefan stopped and looked at him. "Tyler, was it? You may be strong for a werewolf, but you're still no match for me. I'm giving her another ten minutes. If she's still not done, I'm going in there. Whether I have to kill you to do it is completely up to you."

Tyler stared at him and Stefan couldn't help but admire the fact that he showed no fear. He knew the vampire was telling the truth. With a sigh, Tyler nodded. "If she asks, tell her I tried to stop you."

"I will," he said and inclined his head in thanks. Over the past few weeks he had come to understand that Tyler and Caroline had a thing. No one questioned either of them nor did they say anything. It was almost as if nothing was going on, but Stefan had picked up on it almost immediately. "What is she doing in there exactly?"

"You can't hear her?" Tyler replied, his eyes going wide with surprise and amusement. "I didn't think it would work."

"Didn't think what wouldn't work?"

"Caroline hired a witch. She's pretty powerful despite her age. Then again she is a Bennett witch," he said, going a little off topic.

"Tyler..." Stefan interrupted, despite how surprised he was to hear that Caroline had gotten a witch to work for her. And a Bennett no less.

"Right," he said, shaking his head. "She spelled Caroline's office and her private quarters. No one can hear anything going on inside from the outside."

"So... Do you know what she's doing in there that's so important she can't see me?" Stefan asked again.

Tyler shook his head briefly. "I don't know. She just said she's not to be disturbed." he said and looked at the door before grinning at Stefan. "But the door isn't locked."

Stefan's brow rose. "Is that so?" he asked and Tyler inclined his head. "In that case," he said and rushed forward. He knocked Tyler to the ground and rushed inside. Caroline looked up from her desk and got to her feet in a hurry. "I'm sorry, did I interrupt something important?" he asked.

"I have to go," she said and removed her Bluetooth device from her hear. "How did you-"

"Come on Care, you should know a were is no match for a vampire my age." Her eyes went wide for a brief second as they flickered over Stefan's shoulder to the door. "He's fine. I only knocked him out of the way."

Her eyes narrowed as her body straightened. "What do you want?"

"You're really asking me that?"

"Stefan, what you're doing is very bad. Barging in here like that; I can have you killed for that."

He shrugged. "Why haven't you tried?"

Her chin tilted up a little, a sign that she was determined not to cave. "You know why," she mumbled.

"Okay, now that that's established, can we get down to business?"

She shook her head. "I can't sign that."

"Why?"

"Do you even know what Damon's asking of me? He wants complete control over California; over me. He just wants me to be his glorified lackey. He wants my title," she whined. "I worked so hard for this. Do you know how hard it is for me now? Imagine what it would be like when word gets out that I sold my state to Damon. I can't get enough respect as it is."

Stefan shook his head. "Please, Caroline. You have to sign this so I can go back."

She crossed her arms and stared at him. "Why do you want me to do this so badly?"

He was silent a moment before telling her. "There's a girl. Damon found out I was dating her and he took her from me. He's keeping her there until I come back with the contract. Signed."

"What's so special about this girl? She's human right?"

"And Tyler's just a werewolf," he retorted, earning a hard glare from the blonde. He sighed and rolled his shoulders. "She looks exactly like our sire," he muttered, knowing she could hear him perfectly.

Caroline's face softened and she leaned against her desk. "I'm sorry, Stefan. I still can't sign this."

"Caroline, please."

"Stefan-"

"You owe me."

"Owe you? I don't owe you anything," she said although she knew better.

"Oh yeah? And tell me Miss Forbes, would you be the youngest vampire queen in history if it weren't for me? I introduced you to this life."

"I don't recall asking to be introduced," she said, her voice flat.

Stefan looked down briefly as the memories flooded over him. He had been on a bender then and Caroline had been an easy target. He had ripped into her flawless skin and nearly drained her dry. If it hadn't been for Damon, he would have killed her. As usual, his brother had been there to clean up his messes; make sure that their secret stayed that way. Damon had given Caroline his blood and made Stefan care for her once she turned. After twenty years of learning all she could from them, she took off to live her own life. That had been the kickoff of Stefan's abstinence from human blood.

"Well, if you're not going to do this for me, do it for Damon. He's the one that saved you. It's him you owe."

"Oh I paid him," she said and turned to sit in her chair again. "Several times over I paid him."

Stefan shuddered. He knew the two of them had bonded on some level; body and mind, but it still wasn't something he wanted to picture. "Just sign it, Care. For Elena. She's innocent and Damon-"

"Damon isn't going to hurt her," she said, looking up to meet his eyes. "Damon is many things, but he doesn't hurt people who don't deserve it. He's just doing this to fuck with you," she added and smirked. "And it seems to be working quite well."

Stefan placed his palms on the desk and stared down at her. "Please, Caroline. I'm begging you. Sign the damn contract and let me get back to her." She might be willing to believe that Damon wasn't capable of hurting Elena, but he knew better. He knew what his brother could do. What his brother _would _do.

She stared at him for a long moment and then sighed. "I'll sign it on one condition."

"Damon said-"

"My condition is with you, not him."

He nodded. "What is it?"

"I want you to stay for another week."

"Caroline-"

"If you stay until after the coronation I'll sign it and you can go. It would mean a lot to me if you were there."

Stefan held her gaze and let his eyes dilate. "One week. If you don't sign it after the coronation I'll finish what I started a hundred years ago," he vowed and stormed out of the room.

Caroline watched him leave and leaned back in her chair, letting out a deep breath. Her eyes flickered to her cell phone as it started blinking, indication that she had an incoming call. Damon's name flashed across the screen and she rolled her eyes before answering it. "What?" she growled.

"Someone's in a good mood," came his cocky tone that was soon replaced with his cold, businesslike voice. "Is it done?"

"Yes. Stefan will be here for another week like you asked. I hate doing this to him. He's really worried about that Elena girl."

"Elena's perfectly fine."

"Is she really worth it? No matter what happens, he's going to hate you for this."

"He already hates me. Not that it's any of your business, but you did what I asked and I thank you. For the record, I wasn't planning on keeping him there for so long."

"Then what changed?" Caroline asked, a smirk already taking hold of her lips.

"Everything," he said, the intensity and meaning clear in his voice, and hung up.

* * *

><p>Damon's eyes met hers as she walked into his office. She apologized silently once she realized she had stumbled in on a phone call. "Everything," he said, his gaze burning into hers; that one word making her shiver for no apparent reason.<p>

She cleared her throat and looked away as he hung up. "Who was that?" she asked, taking a seat at the desk he had brought into his office especially for her.

"An old friend," he answered, watching her get her papers organized. It amused him to no end that she was constantly organizing everything. She really had been a great choice for a secretary.

"All your friends are old," she teased, looking up briefly with a smirk on her face.

"You wound me," he replied, holding his hand over his heart.

Elena shook her head and focused on getting the papers she needed for the day. The past three weeks had been incredible. Her job, while overwhelming at first, had turned out to be one the best things she had ever experienced. And as much as she hated to admit it, Damon was a great boss. After the initial awkwardness and tension from the accidental kiss; something which neither of them had brought up, they began to get along. Elena noticed that as each day wore on, they flirted more and more. She also noticed the spark in the air whenever they were in the same room with each other. It was getting harder and harder to ignore. Especially when she could feel the weight of his gaze on her whenever he knew she wasn't looking. What surprised her the most was that, as time wore on, she found herself liking him more and more. And it scared her. Almost as much as the fact that she was starting to forget about her feelings for Stefan. Whatever was between her and Damon made her relationship with Stefan seem like child's play and it was hard to ignore the will to explore just exactly what would be so different.

"Today is going to be a little different," he said, breaking the silence that had washed over them.

"How so?"

"There is an errand that I must do myself and I would like you to come with me."

She nodded. "Sounds easy enough."

"In theory, yes," he replied, earning a look of confusion from her. "The king of Georgia has requested my presence. Apparently there is a problem in our agreement and one of my subjects has been causing the king quite a headache."

"So why do you need me?"

"If you're going to be doing this full time, I need to see how you operate on the go. Besides, it's been three weeks since I've traveled. I need a change of scenery and I bet you could too."

Elena bit her lip, something Damon learned that she did when she was nervous. "How long would we be gone?" she asked.

"Not long. Three days at the most. Why?"

"Um, what if Stefan comes back?"

"He will call when he's completed his assignment. If he does, I promise you, we'll be on our way back here the moment I end that phone call. Does that satisfy you?" He was slightly bewildered by that. It was the first time she had asked about Stefan since she took the job. Since they had kissed.

She nodded curtly. "Thanks."

"You should go pack. We leave tonight."

"Tonight?"

"The sooner we get there, the sooner we can get back," he informed her and she shrugged.

"Oh, right, okay," she said and stood up. "Then I guess I should go do that."

"I'll come get you when it's time," he informed her as she left the room. He stared after her, confused at her sudden bout of nervousness. She had been alone with him for the better part of three weeks and it wasn't until he mentioned a road trip that she had reverted to her old self; the one that made their moments awkward. Frowning, Damon got up and headed to his quarters to start packing for himself.


	6. Chapter 6

**a/n: so I had more homework than I realized and when I did have time to write, I forgot what I was going to do. Needless to say, this chapter was a pain in the butt! Ha, but the good news is that I extended this one by yet another chapter so we're up to eight now and depending on how I write that chapter, I might have nine, so we'll see!****  
><strong>  
><span>SIX<span>

Damon sat there, watching Elena sleep. He realized after they had started their journey that they could have waited for the morning. In the end, it worked out. Instead of trying to come up with something to talk about for nine hours, Elena slept. It gave him plenty of time to think about everything that had changed in the past few weeks. He was still having trouble pin pointing the moment he decided to let her in instead of just holding her prisoner as was his original intention.

Just as he began to form the beginning of an answer, Elena stirred and sat up straight in a hurried manner. She wiped her face, smoothing the hair out of her eyes, and looked at Damon. He smiled at the haze still in her chocolate brown eyes as she tried to remember where she was. "How long have I been asleep?"

"Eight and a half hours."

Her eyes widened. "Oh."

"We'll be there soon."

She looked down at herself and started pulling at her outfit. "Do I look okay? I probably look like hell."

_Impossible_, was Damon's first thought. "You look fine."

Elena smiled and began to stretch out her aching muscles. Damon couldn't tear his eyes away from her. Luckily, she didn't notice the way his eyes followed her every move. "Is there anything important I should know before going in?"

Her voice pulled Damon out of his thoughts; the one that had turned to a vision of her naked body stretched out underneath him. He cleared his throat and locked his gaze with hers. "Not particularly." In reality, there was something he knew he should tell her, but at the moment, he had no clue what it was.

"Okay." She sighed and leaned back in her seat. After a long bout of silence, she noticed that he was still staring at her. "Damon?"

"Why did you get nervous when I said we were leaving town earlier?" he asked. It was better than having to explain his staring.

Elena looked down at a blush spread across her cheeks, a reminder of how hungry Damon really was. "You're going to laugh if I tell you."

"Probably."

She looked up and pouted for all of a second before smiling. "I've never been outside of Virginia before."

Damon couldn't help but smirk at her admission. "You really have lived a sheltered life."

"Hey," she said, her voice rising in mock defense. "I never had any reason to travel. When we took vacations we went to the lake house." She shrugged and looked away from him again. "I had planned on going out of state for college, but after the accident, I just couldn't leave."

Damon decided not to comment on the tragedy. Instead, he focused on her having never been out of Virginia. "Well, it's a good thing I'll be with you. I've been told I'm an excellent tour guide."

"So we'll be doing other things than business there?" she asked, looking at him again.

He inclined his head as the car began to slow to a stop. "I don't see why not. I'll make the arrangements," he assured her. "How about when my meeting was over, we go do something?"

"Such as?"

"A friend of mine owns a bar close by."

"Um," Elena said, her voice uneasy. "I'm not sure a vampire bar is-"

"The bar is a place for anyone and everyone. It is not the novelty vampire bars that you hear about. I actually detest those."

"Oh, okay. Drinks it is," she said and smiled at him.

After a moment's pause, he said, "There is one thing that I have to ask of you."

Elena's brows arched. "Okay..."

"When you are in the presence of the king, I need you to say as little as possible. He is not known for his kindness to humans, especially ones that work for vampires."

"And you thought it was a great idea to bring Alaric and I, why exactly?"

Damon smirked. "Alaric is here for my protection as well as yours."

"I thought that was what Elijah was for?"

He inclined his head, enjoying the confusion on her face. "And I brought you because I wanted to. No harm will be brought to you, I can guarantee that. Do you trust me?" he asked as the car came to a complete stop.

Elena hesitated for a second and then nodded. "I trust you," she said quietly and jumped slightly when Elijah opened the door. "Thank you," she said as he extended a hand to help her out. She looked past his shoulders, blinking from the harsh morning light, to see more than a few guards coming outside to escort them.

"Anna?" Damon said as he saw a teenager come out the front door.

"My mother sent me to personally bring you to see her," she said. Her gaze flickered to Elena and her smile faded.

Damon shook his head briefly. "My business is not with her. I'm here to see-"

"I know why you are here," Anna interrupted, her gaze still focused on Elena. "There have been some changes." Finally, her gaze moved to Damon, letting Elena breathe. "Follow me. Mother will explain everything," she informed them and turned to begin walking back into the mansion.

"Stay close," Damon said to Elena as he walked past her.

Elena nodded and followed him closely, unable to shake the uneasy feeling the young girl's staring had left her with. When they stopped outside what could only be described as a royal office, Anna turned towards the group again. "Mother will speak to you now."

With that, Anna opened the massive oak doors and waited for them to enter before closing them. Damon approached the desk where a tall, slim woman of Asian descent stood behind it, smirking at him. Elena remained back with Alaric and Elijah as they watched the two sovereigns interact with each other. "Pearl," Damon greeted, inclining his head and stopping on the other side of the desk.

"Damon."

"Where is Don?"

"Don lost the challenge. I am the new Queen of Georgia."

"That is something that should be disclosed before our meeting. I was under the impression that this meeting was because a loyal of mine was acting out in your territory. Is that true?"

"It was true, but I took care of it."

"Without my say so?"

"He was tearing the throats of humans without any regard for the rules. Not that I blame him, but I could not have him ruining my new position. I had to be harsh so my followers will know I stand by the rules, no matter how demeaning they are."

"And you didn't feel the need to tell me over the phone, why?"

"Because your alliance was with Don, not me. I invited you down here so that we could come up with our own alliance. I even have a coronation tomorrow night and I was hoping that you would attend that as our first official act of said alliance."

Elena looked between the two as she watched their silent battle of wills. Finally, Damon nodded and smirked. "I think we can come to an agreement," he said and turned to look at the group.

"You may take your leave," Pearl said, dismissing them.

Elijah and Alaric led Elena out of the room and met Anna outside in the hall. "I will show you to your rooms. Damon will find you when he is finished," she said, looking directly at Elena as she said that before turning and leading them up a massive grand staircase.

After she had shown them where they were going to stay, Anna and the guards left them alone, a gesture of trust. "I don't know about you two, but I am exhausted," Alaric said, looking at Elijah.

Elijah nodded, giving Alaric a small smile. "Then rest, my friend," he said and turned towards Elena. "How would you like to accompany me for a walk?"

"I would like that," she answered. After nine hours of sleeping in a car, she was more than ready to move. They parted ways, Elena following Elijah back downstairs and out into the backyard. "Wow," she said, taking in the sight of the garden. It was close to Damon's in design, but much, much bigger, complete with wilderness that went on for miles. "Have you been here before?"

"Many times," Elijah answered as they headed for the well used trail in the woods beyond the garden.

Elena didn't expect him to elaborate. She had learned that if there was more to say, he would do so without waiting to be prompted. Instead, she let it drop. As they walked in silence for a bit, Elena considered asking the question that she had been afraid to ask. Deciding there was no time like the present, she went for it. "Do you know the real reason Damon wanted me to stay while he sent Stefan away?" Her voice came out quiet, but she knew he still heard her. "Is it for some sick fantasy or something else?"

Elijah stopped and turned to look at her, a smile on his face. "Has Damon ever treated you badly?"

"No."

"Have you asked _him_ this question?"

"No," she repeated, looking down at the ground.

"I have seen the way the two of you interact and let me assure you, none of this is what he intended."

"What do you mean?" she asked, looking up at him, her head tilted to the side as she studied him.

"Do you remember how he was the first time you met him in the garden?" Elena nodded. She had never forgotten the way he had ordered her around arrogantly. She had always found it odd that he made it sound as if she were a prisoner and then a few days later he was offering her a job. It never quite added up. "What I am about to say is something that I should not be telling you."

"Then why do it?"

"Because I see how you are around him and there are some things you need to know. You have developed feelings for my king and I strongly believe that you should know the full story."

"Okay," Elena said uneasily and nodded for him to continue.

"The moment he found out that Stefan was seeing Katherine's doppelganger, he was determined to make his brother suffer. He was going to send Stefan away and come to you, but you came to him instead. He had every intention of locking you in your room and making your stay at the mansion miserable. Queen Caroline of California was turned by Damon and he asked her for a favor; stall Stefan for a week to make him think that he was doing something to you."

"A week? But it's been three..." Elena mumbled, confusion written all over her face. Then his words hit her. "He _asked_ Caroline to keep him in California?"

Elijah nodded. "We were all a little surprised when he told us that you were his new secretary. He normally has a rigorous interview process, but he offered it to you without any thought. No longer was his plan to be the nightmare Stefan described to you. In fact, I have not seen Damon this courteous to anyone in a very long time. Perhaps Caroline was the last person he genuinely cared for."

Elena shook her head, still trying to process everything. "So he deliberately sent Stefan away so that he could spend time with me? Even after I began trusting him and getting along with him, he still had Caroline stall and keep him from me? All the while telling me Caroline was stubborn?" She pinched the bridge of her nose and closed her eyes against the headache that was beginning to settle in. "Why would he do such a thing?"

"You really want the answer to that?" Elijah asked.

Elena stilled at that. Did she? Slowly she opened her eyes and let her hand fall to her side as she stared at Elijah. "Only if it has nothing to do with Katherine."

"I can assure you, the reason Damon has been acting this way has nothing to do with Katherine or Stefan."

"Then why?" she asked again, deciding that she did want to know after all.

"Because he is in love with you."

* * *

><p>Stefan wandered around the mansion as he made his way to the backyard. It was time for him to feed and he was lucky that Caroline had some sort of wilderness in the back. He stopped in his tracks as he heard someone whispering. As he heard another voice, he closed his eyes and listened with his supernatural hearing. To his surprise, it was Caroline and Tyler and it seemed as though they were having a lover's quarrel. Just as he decided to tune out, Tyler said something that drew his attention back in.<p>

"Why are you keeping him around so long?"

"Jealous?" Caroline teased.

"Hardly," Tyler replied with a snort. "But could you blame me if I was? All you have to do is sign that contract and send him on his way. I'm starting to assume that you still have feelings for him."

Caroline laughed quietly. "Tyler, I do not have feelings for him. If anything, I still hate him for what he did to me. I'm doing this as a favor to Damon."

Stefan's body went rigid with anger at the sound of that.

"But I thought-"

"Damon asked me to stall for awhile. He is the one that turned me and showed the ropes, so I agreed. It's only until after the coronation, then I am going to sign those papers and send him on his way."

Wanting to hear no more, Stefan rushed to where they were. Anger getting the best of him, he caught Caroline by the throat and pinned her against the wall. "You need to tell me the truth. Now!" he hissed.

"Stefan?"

"Damon told you to make me stay here, why?" he asked, although he was pretty sure he knew the answer already.

"I don't know!" she spat, clawing at him to make him let go even though she knew he was far stronger than she was.

"Put her down!" Tyler shouted, getting ready to pounce.

"Because he wanted Elena, right? I knew it!" Stefan snapped, letting Caroline go, but staying close to her. "I want you to sign that contract now or I swear I will rip your throat out. Again."

"Stefan-"

"Now, Caroline!"

Caroline looked over his shoulder and nodded at Tyler. After a brief hesitation, the wolf hurried off in the direction of the office and came back shortly with the file folder which held the contract. After composing herself, Caroline signed the documents and shoved the folder at Stefan. As he looked it over, Tyler handed her a stake which she deftly stuck into the small of his back. He staggered forward, clutching the folder, and turned to face her.

"You would do best to remember that this is _my_ house. I am the queen here and I demand to be treated as such. I do not care if you are older, but if you threaten me again, I will not hesitate to take you out." She watched him remove the stake before speaking again. "You are no longer welcome in California Stefan Salvatore. To step foot in this state again would mean your death. Are we clear?"

Stefan tossed the bloodied stake to her feet and nodded. "For your sake, you better hope that Damon hasn't touched a hair on her head. Because if anything happened to her, you bet I'll be back to repay your kindness," he threatened and vanished from sight.


	7. Chapter 7

SEVEN

Elena paused at the sound of someone knocking on her door. Knowing it was Damon, she slowly crossed the room and opened it. He looked slightly surprised as she stepped to the side to let him in. "I didn't think you would actually answer the door."

"Why not?" she asked as she returned to the vanity to finish her hair and make-up.

"You've been ignoring me over twenty-four hours, I had assumed tonight would be no different," he said, remaining by the door even after he had closed it.

Elena met his gaze in the mirror for a split second and shrugged, trying to act nonchalant. Ever since Elijah had told her everything, especially the part about him loving her, she had been trying to process. Seeing him now was making it hard to ignore and she wanted more than anything to confront him, but now wasn't the place. It would have to wait until they returned to Virginia where they were in familiar territory.

When she didn't say anything, Damon spoke again. "So I assume you're still coming to the ball."

"Yes."

"Then would you mind telling me what I did?" he asked.

Elena paused again and slowly turned around to face him. She gave him a light, forced smile and shook her head. "It's nothing."

"It's not nothing. You refused to see me after I was done talking to Pearl, you wouldn't come to me when I wanted to work out the details of our new arrangement, and I can tell that you still don't really want to be around me now. What changed, Elena? I need you to talk to me," he said, moving closer to her as he spoke.

She backed up, hitting the vanity table in the process. Damon stopped, frowning at her actions. "Not here. I know how much this ball means to you so I'll be there and I will have a smile on my face. Once we're back in Virginia, we'll talk."

"But-"

"Please, Damon," she whispered, giving him a look she knew he couldn't refuse. "Just let it go."

He stared at her, wanting to remind her that he was in charge, but the pleading look in her eyes led him to nod. "Fine," he said and turned his back on her. "I'll wait in the hall."

"No need, I'm almost ready," she said and put the finishing touches on her outfit.

Damon held the door open for her, watching as she walked past him and out into the hall. "You look stunning," he said once they began walking towards the stairs.

Elena stopped and looked up at him, a small smile tugging at her lips. "Thank you. You look very dashing yourself."

Before Damon could say anything else, Alaric and Elijah met them at the top of the stairs. He saw the way Elena straightened up and the fact that her guard had gone up. His brow quirked to the side as he noticed the way her eyes jumped from Elijah to the ground before she looked at Damon.

"The queen asked us to attend and help keep everything in order," Alaric reported, explaining their dressy attire.

Damon nodded. "I wouldn't want it any other way." He looked between the three of them and gestured towards the stairs. "Shall we?" He turned and extended his hand to Elena and couldn't help but feel disappointed at her hesitation.

The moment they reached the ball room, Elena stopped in her tracks to take in her surroundings. Everything was decorated lavishly; truly fit for royalty. It was still early, but already there was quite a turnout, complete with servants carrying trays of food and drink around for the guests. "Wow," she breathed.

Damon was enthralled with her reaction, the way her eyes had gone wide at the sight of the place. This was definitely something that she was not used to and he found himself wanting to change that. For the first time, he could envision her as his queen. She would fit right in and he knew it. He shook those thoughts aside knowing the chances of that were very slim. "Ready to dance?" he asked, bringing her out of her trance.

She swallowed around a tight throat and nodded, letting him lead her to the middle of the room where the other guests were dancing to the live sting quartet set up on the other side of the room. As a new song began, Elena thanked her mother for making her take ballroom dancing in high school. If she hadn't, she knew she would have been making a fool out of herself right now. She couldn't help but smile at the impressed look on Damon's face as she followed his lead with ease.

"I'm very glad that you know the steps. It never even occurred to me that you might not know them."

"You can thank my mother for that one," she said and went back to looking around the room. "Are there any other humans here?"

"A few," he answered, his tone telling her that there was nothing simple about the real answer. "They are the servants, donors of the guests that are here. Their job is to serve and be served," he said in a way that left no misunderstanding. "There are a few human guests such as yourself, but not many," he added after seeing her unease.

From there, they lapsed into silence. Elena stole a few glances at Damon even though she knew he could sense her staring. The more she looked at him, the harder it was to ignore Elijah's words. _Because he's in love with you_. While on some level knew it was true, she couldn't completely believe it. Her own feelings for him were confusing. She knew the answer, but she wasn't ready to admit it to herself. She was even still angry with him over what Elijah had told her Damon had done to his brother; her boyfriend.

"Elena?" His concerned tone broke through her thoughts and she jumped slightly as she felt a tear hit her cheek.

She let go of him and stepped back. "I can't do this," she whispered and turned her back on him before making her way through the crowd.

Damon let out a growl of frustration and followed after her. Instead of rushing after her with his speed, he took his time and let her get to the side of the house where there wasn't as much security. He wanted her to tell him what was bugging her and he knew she wouldn't say anything if there were a lot of people around them. He caught up to her in time to see her lean back against the house, her chest heaving as she struggled to catch her breath. "Elena-"

"Is it true?" Her head snapped up to look at him and there was anger in her eyes.

"Is what true?" he countered.

"That you asked Caroline to do you a favor and make sure that Stefan stays there until you allow him to come home."

Damon's jaw clenched as his body coiled in anger. He stared at her for a long while, waiting for his want to lash out to go down. Slowly, he nodded and watched as she looked at the ground. "Yes, it's true."

"Why?" she asked.

"Because I wanted to get to know you."

"And it had nothing to do with Katherine, right?" she snapped.

Damon surged forward and made her look at him. "I told you before, I was going to come to you, but you came to me instead."

"But why go behind both of our backs and arrange to keep us apart?"

"Elena-"

"No!" she snapped and moved out from between him and the exterior of the house. "I wasn't your donor, you had no right to keep me in your home."

"I wanted to get to know you. It was my intent to keep you around for a week and let Stefan think I had done those horrible things he thinks I am only capable to do."

Elena nodded and took a deep breath. "I don't understand, Damon. You are Stefan's brother, I would have gladly gotten to know you without you having sent Stefan away. Hell, if you had offered me that job with him around, I probably would have taken it still. I would have been a fool to say no."

Damon's eyes widened at her admission. "You never ask about Stefan anymore. I didn't think you would care that he was gone," he said, fishing for her feelings.

"I do care, but I got tired of you giving me lame answers and brushing me off. I thought it would be better if I didn't mention him and hopefully he would come home soon enough."

"So if he were to come home tomorrow you would still want to be around me? After knowing that I've been deceiving you?"

She nodded slowly. "I want to be angry with you, I do, but I'm angry because I'm not angry," she babbled. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. When she opened them again, she stood up straight and stared at Damon with a determination that he had never seen from her before. "Why did you offer me that job without any sort of interview? Why have you kept Stefan in California for so long?"

"Because I didn't want him to come back. I was enjoying my time with you and I knew that upon his return, you would leave with him."

"But _why_?" she asked again, taking a step further. She believed Elijah's words now, but she wanted to hear Damon say it. Damon stared at her, searching her eyes for what she was up to. He took a step towards her and as his lips parted to answer, he saw fright in her eyes as they jumped to the space behind him. "Look out!" she screamed, but it was too late.

Shots rang out through the night and Damon groaned in pain as he felt the array of wooden bullets enter his back. He hunched forward and Elena caught him, lowering him to the ground. She looked up to see a man advancing on them, but they stopped the moment they saw her face. After a split second, he dropped his weapon and took off. With the immediate threat of danger gone, Elena turned her focus back to Damon. She gently laid him face down on the grass and looked as his back.

"You'll have to take the bullets out," Damon managed to get out.

Elena bit her lip, knowing that's what he was going to say. She swallowed hard and began digging into each and every wound to pull out the bullets. When she was done, there was a pile of thirteen bullets at her side. She helped Damon turn onto his back and pulled his head into her lap. She began to panic at how white his skin had become. She did the only thing she could think of and pressed the inside of her wrist against his lips. "Drink."

He shook his head and whispered, "Vervain."

Elena shook her head back at him. "I haven't been drinking it," she admitted, earning a half angry stare from him. "Please, Damon, just do it. You can't die on me, I won't let you."

Instead of answering her, he parted his lips and ran his tongue along her smooth skin. He preferred drinking from the neck, but given the circumstances, he wasn't going to be picky. Without any further enticement, his fangs lengthened and he sank them into her skin. They both sighed heavily as he began to drink. The taste of her blood was everything he thought it would be and more. He could taste her fear and worry along with her arousal and it made her taste that much more incredible. It took all the restraint he had to stop himself from drinking until there was none left. When he had had his fill, he licked the remaining blood off of her skin and got them to their feet quickly. He cupped Elena's jaw and tilted her head up so he could look into her eyes.

Instead of saying anything, he lowered his lips to hers and initiated a kiss. She returned it in full, letting her feelings for him finally come out. She could taste her blood on his lips, but she didn't care. She relaxed into him, her arms going about his neck. His hands went down her body to rest on her hips, pulling her even closer. "I love you, that's why," he whispered into the kiss.

"I know," she returned, but instead of pulling away, she tightened her hold on him.

"You're with Stefan," he said, pulling away slightly.

Elena held his gaze, but didn't say anything right away. She pulled his lips back down to hers and kissed him again, slowly this time. Her arms slid down so that she could sink her fingers into his hair. In the midst of the kiss, she replied to his comment. "I love you too," she whispered.

Instead of saying anything else, Damon lifted her up just enough so that he could use his enhanced speed to carry them past the guards that were coming out to investigate the shots, through the main entry to the mansion, and upstairs to his guest suite. Once they were inside, Damon pinned her to the door, getting harder at her groan of both pleasure and pain. He deepened the kiss, enthralled with the way she returned his frenzy. He had always figured she was so full of passion, but to be experiencing it was something he had been completely unprepared for and he liked it.

After the daze of being transported to his room in the blink of an eye had worn off, her hands went to the hem of his shirt and tugged it free from his pants. After undoing the buttons, she shoved it off of his shoulders along with the suit jacket and let her hands run slowly down his bare skin. Damon continued to kiss her relentlessly, even as her hands began to undo his belt and the fly of his pants. Before he realized what was happening, he felt her hands diving into his pants, eliciting a hiss of pleasure as he felt her fingers wrapping around his hardened length. She broke the kiss and moved her lips to his neck. Damon stilled having not expecting her to be so bold. Elena was full of surprises tonight.

Slowly, she kissed a trail down his neck to his collar bone. A ripple of pleasure and pain rolled through his body as she bit him and his body jerked in response. He felt her grin against his skin and by the time he came out of his stupor, her teeth had latched onto his nipple, her tongue swirling around the hardened peak. Damon ground his teeth to keep himself in check. He was more than ready to move them to the bed and take her now, but he could tell she had other ideas. As she began to sink to her knees, Damon shuddered with delight and let one hand drop so that he could sink his fingers into her hair. Instead of letting her do what he knew she was going to, he moved both hands to her shoulders and lifted her up. He couldn't help but grin at the pout on her face and kissed her deeply again.

He stepped out of his pants and moved her away from the door. His hands went to the shoulders of her dress and began to slide them down her arms. He smirked at the fact that she wasn't wearing a bra, immediately exposing her breasts to him. Elena blushed a little, the heat of his gaze made her feel something she never had before. He continued to push the material until it reached her hips, from there, it floated down to the floor all on its own. As he reached for the last piece of clothing, she blocked him and held his gaze while removing it on her own. The moment the garment touched the floor, Damon took hold of Elena and brought them to the bed in the time it took her to gasp.

The bed bounced beneath them as they landed on it in a heap. Elena looked up at Damon with desire written all over her face. Her hips shifted in anticipation as she felt him harden even more against her stomach. He leaned down and pressed his lips to hers again. This time, the kiss wasn't about devouring each other, it was simply one of love. To have heard her say that she loved him was something he would cherish forever above all other memories. Elena surprised him once again as she began to roll them so that she was on top of him. She smirked as she broke the kiss and sat up. Damon was glad that she had worn her hair down because he loved the way it cascaded down her body.

Damon placed his hands on her hips and lifted her just enough so that he could position himself at her entrance. With a slight nod from Elena, he eased her down. She took him inside of her completely, making them both groan from their long awaited union. Elena's back arched as her head tipped back, giving Damon a perfect view of her breasts as they bounced in rhythm to their movements. Her hips rocked back and forth as he matched her pace with each thrust, driving them both closer to oblivion. Damon could hear her soft sighs of satisfaction and it urged him on. His hands rose up her stomach to cup her breasts, giving them the attention that they were begging for.

As Elena felt herself getting closer to her release, she placed her hands over Damon's and removed them from her body. In the next second, she was bending forward, her palms slapping down on Damon's chest. She opened her eyes to see him watching her and she smirked at him. He drove deeper and Elena's smirk formed into a silent gasp as her nails dug into his skin, nearly drawing blood. Seeing that she was close, knowing he wasn't far behind, Damon moved so that she was beneath him once again.

"Do it," she panted, her lips close to his ear.

Hearing the command fall from her lips made it impossible to do anything but. His mouth moved to the curve of her neck, his tongue following the racing pulse of her heart. Her head arched back, exposing herself to him at the same time her body rose into his, allowing him deeper access to her body. He kissed her skin briefly and then let his fangs pierce her neck. They came together the moment her blood touched his tongue. It was like nothing they had ever experienced before. They both soared to new heights, ones that they weren't sure they would ever come down from.

When they finally did return to reality, Damon had already moved to her side and was holding her tightly to him. They were silent as they caught their breath, still winding down from their releases. Damon listened closely and heard the irregular beat of her heart and realized he had taken a bit too much. He brought his wrist to his mouth only to move it to hers after opening his vein. Elena accepted his offering without complaint and drank deep. Now she truly felt connected to him. When he pulled his wrist away, they continued to stay silent, not wanting to spoil the magic of the moment. He held her tighter, relieved that she wasn't running from him in regret. Instead, she allowed him to hold her as she began to drift off to sleep and even long after.


	8. Chapter 8

**a/n: So I would like to give two thumbs up to Jackie who guessed correctly on what would happen :)**

**I always intended for this story to be short and fast paced, so if that's what it feels like when you're reading it, good. That being said, this is officially the end of this story. It has been a blast writing it, even if it did take me longer than I planned on. Thank you guys so much for reading/reviewing/etc :) you're all amazing!**

**I still have Fighting Fate and Written In Blood to finish, so I'll be posting more Delena goodness there. I'll also be putting up a Tyler/Elena story for those who are interested. It was a request and now that I finished the outline, I'm pretty excited about it. :)**

**Thanks guys! Enjoy!**

EIGHT

Elena woke to the sound of a soft click, indicating that the door had been shut. Her eyes flew open and immediately sought Damon's. He smirked at her as she smiled and stretched lazily beneath the sheets. "Morning," she mumbled before gathering the sheets in front of her so that she could sit up.

"Morning," he returned and sat on the edge of the bed, facing her.

"What's on the agenda for today?" she asked. She knew they should talk about what exactly had transpired between them and what it meant, but she didn't want to do that here. That truly was a conversation better had in familiar territory. To show that she didn't regret the night before, Elena reached out and placed her hand in his, giving it a light squeeze.

Damon smiled a little and returned her squeeze before linking his fingers with hers. "Pearl has summoned me to explain what happened last night concerning the man that shot me. I told her I would need to talk to you first." He shrugged a little. "So I just need you to tell me what you saw."

"It was one of John's men."

"Are you sure?" Damon asked, surprise etched on his face.

Elena nodded. "I've met him before and he knew me too. After you went down, he started coming towards us, but he stopped when he saw me. After a moment of hesitation, he took off and that's when you told me to start digging the bullets out."

"Why would John send his men down to Georgia?" Damon pondered out loud.

Elena bit her lip and shifted before giving him an answer. "I think he was just after you." Damon's eyes narrowed and she continued. "There was only the one man and he was out there for who knows how long. He didn't attack anyone but you and he could have gone after the guards or found a way to storm the ball."

"Why would John target me?" Damon asked, finding his answer the moment Elena looked down and pulled her hand from his.

"Because he knows I'm staying with you; that I have been staying with you for awhile. I wouldn't put it past him."

Damon nodded and offered her a small smile. "Very well. I will go back down to Pearl and tell her all of this. In the meantime, I would like you to get ready to go back to Virginia. When you are done, Elijah and Alaric will take you to the car and we will leave."

Elena saw something pass over his face and she called him on it. "There's still more; something you're not telling me."

"Caroline called awhile ago. It seems that Stefan found out what her and I did. She said he was quite livid when he took his leave back to Virginia. There is a good chance he will be there when we get back."

Elena was filled with a sense of dread, but she nodded anyway. "Then I guess we'll deal with him later."

"What happened to the vervain that he gave you?"

Elena shrugged. "Other than that one time, no one tried to compel me and I forgot to drink it one day. That one day turned into a week, and I just... I don't know, I guess I didn't need it after all." She held her chin up defiantly and smiled smugly. "And for the record, if I had been drinking it, you probably would have died on me last night."

"And we wouldn't want that, now would we?" he commented in a light, teasing tone.

"Not at all," she replied.

Damon inclined his head and stood up to exit the room. As he got to the door, he paused and looked back at Elena. "It was Elijah who told you all of this, wasn't it?" he asked.

Elena nodded slowly. "Please don't punish him."

Damon grinned and shook his head. "If things had ended differently, I might have," he said and winked before finally leaving the room.

* * *

><p>The nine hour car ride back to Virginia was filled with dread and uncertainty. As they got closer and closer to the mansion, Elena began to panic slightly at the thought of seeing Stefan again. She knew he wasn't going to be happy about any of this and would probably hate her for the rest of his life, but there was nothing she could do about it now. For once, she had followed her heart instead of her head and it had led her to Damon. There were no regrets about what happened between them, but it was fun to watch him watch her. She could tell he was anxious to see how she handled and Stefan and what was to happen between them. It was her turn to let him sweat it out and wonder what would happen next.<p>

"What?" Damon asked as a grin spread across her face.

"Nothing," she replied, smirking at him from the other side of the limo.

"That smirk is one that says you're up to no good," he said.

"Can't you read my mind?" she asked with mock innocence.

"No," he answered, a pout taking hold of his lips.

"Then I guess you'll never know," she said and sighed, watching him narrow his eyes at her.

Before he could comment, the barrier between the two ends of the car went down and Elijah's face appeared in the box. "Damon, Lorenzo is on the phone, he says there is something you should know before you get to the manor."

Elena took the phone and handed it to Damon as Elijah rolled the little window back up. She listened to Damon's side of the conversation, waiting as patiently as she could to find out what was going on. Although, she was pretty sure that Stefan was the reason for the call. Her suspicions were confirmed when Damon hung up the phone and raked a hand through his hair. "What has he done?" she asked.

"Apparently he has taken over the mansion. He refuses to leave and has killed a few of my men in anger. The others have left the building, but are surrounding it. Stefan says he will back down when I arrive and let the others out; the ones he hasn't killed."

Elena bit her lip out of concern. "I think I should go in and talk to him."

Damon let out an amused chuckle. "Don't be ridiculous Elena. I'm not going to put you in harms way."

"He won't hurt me, Damon. I just need enough time to tell him what happened and explain myself. Five minutes; ten at the most and then you can come in. Please?"

Damon stared at her while he contemplated her plea. Going against his instincts, he nodded, giving her approval. "Five minutes. If even so much as looks at you wrong, I'm going to kill him. Understand?"

"He didn't do anything wrong, Damon," she said quietly, her gaze holding his. She was right of course. He was only doing what Damon had commanded him and Elena was the one that had betrayed Stefan alongside him. Stefan had every right to be angry. That being said, Damon could vividly remember the destruction Stefan had done after being turned. He feared this would push him over the edge once again. If Elena couldn't get through to him, there was no stopping Stefan from lashing out in the worst way possible.

They were silent until they reached the mansion half an hour later. The limo stopped right at the gate and Damon opened the door, following out after her. Lorenzo was at his side, giving him an update of what was going on. "Five minutes," Damon repeated sternly.

"I know," she replied and took a deep breath before heading towards the mansion.

"Are you sure it's a good idea to send her in alone?" Elijah asked.

"No, but he's definitely not going to listen to me at the moment," Damon said, his eyes fixed on Elena until she disappeared inside.

Slowly, she entered the foyer, reminding herself to be cautious. "Stefan?" she called out, cursing the fact that her voice was shaky with a bit of fear in it. She cleared her throat and took a few steps forward before calling out again. "Stefan?"

"Elena?" His voice was loud as he appeared behind her, making her jump and turn to face him. "Elena, thank God," he said and pulled her to him. She stilled in his arms, making no attempt to hug him back. He inhaled deeply, only to recoil, making her stumble from the force of being let go. "What did he do to you?"

"Damon didn't do anything to me."

"I can smell him all over you, Elena."

Elena inclined her head and held his gaze no matter how much it broke her heart. "He didn't do anything to me that I didn't want him to do," she elaborated, doing her best to keep her voice level.

She saw his face go back and forth from vampire to human as he tried to get a hold of his anger. "He compelled you. I knew this would happen. I should have never left."

"He didn't compel me," she said stubbornly. "He tried once right after you left, but he hasn't since. No one here has."

His jaw clenched so hard she could see the muscles popping out beneath his skin. He could see the truth in her eyes and he knew what it meant, but he refused to believe it. He shook his head violently. "Then he manipulated you."

Elena shook her head softly. "He didn't."

He laughed then and the sound cut through Elena like nails on a chalkboard. "And I suppose you're here to tell me you're in love with him and that we're through?" He said it in jest, but his tone was bitter. For the first time, her eyes left his and jumped to the ground. In that split second, he sped across the room and gripped her biceps tightly. A yelp of surprise escaped her lips as he shook her before pulling her close to him. "Do you know what he did? He and Caroline were working together to keep me there so that he could have you all to himself, Elena. This is what he wanted; don't let him win."

"Stefan, you're hurting me," she hissed as she struggled to break free of his grasp. An action that only encouraged him to hold on tighter.

"You knew." His voice was filled with betrayal and pain. All Elena could do was nod. He shoved her away from him, watching as she bounced off the wall and try to steady herself before stumbling to the ground. "You _knew_ what he had done and still you let him touch you?"

"He's not the monster you made him out to be Stefan," she said, straightening up to show him she wasn't backing down. "He treated me with kindness and not once did he, or anyone else, lay a hand on me with the intention of hurting me."

"But he lied to you to keep us apart."

"You want to talk about lying?" she snapped. "What about Katherine? Were you ever going to tell me about her or were you just going to keep thinking of me as her replacement?"

His eyes darkened and she could see the veins protruding on his cheeks. "He told you about her?"

"Yes. I asked questions, he gave me answers. He showed me a portrait of her, Stefan. Didn't you think that I would have liked to know that the woman you loved before me looked _exactly _like me?"

"Damon only wanted to be around you because you looked like her."

"Yes, but that's not why he fell in love with me. Since day one, you treated me like I was made of porcelain. You were so stuck on the idea that I was fragile that you never noticed I didn't need your protection. Damon treats me like an equal; not a child."

"The novelty of having a lookalike will wear off and then he'll cast you aside like all the other women."

Elena shook her head and took a step forward. "No. It's not like that between us. What I have with him is real. I can't speak for him, but that's how I feel. When I met you, I liked you, but to be honest, I felt trapped in our relationship. It never felt right. When we exchanged keys after three months, all I wanted to do was find some way to get out of the commitment and run. But with Damon, it's different. It's only been a short time, but I can't imagine him not being in my life. I am so sorry Stefan, I really am, but I couldn't help the fact that I fell in love with him. Because I do, I love him."

The moment those words left her lips, his face conformed into that of a vampire and he rushed at her. Elena raised her arms to cover her face as her body tensed for the attack, but it never came. She opened her eyes as she heard a thud to see Damon having side swiped Stefan, taking him away from his path to Elena. "I would strongly advise you not to touch her," Damon said as he got to his feet.

Stefan leapt up, barring his fangs at his brother. "I know you did something to her Damon!" he snarled.

Damon ignored his accusations when he spoke. "I no longer require your services. Stefan Salvatore, you are hereby banned from Virginia. You are free to take your loyalty to another sovereign, but you must go and go now. You have twenty-four hours to get your things and leave this state. Failure to do so will result in your true death. Do you understand?"

Elena watched with confusion as Stefan stood there, listening to Damon. She was sure he would have attacked by now, but instead, his fangs receded and his face took on a look of sorrow and pain. "I understand," he mumbled and let his gaze slide to Elena for a moment. As his eyes left hers, he vanished from sight.

"Was that really necessary?" Elena asked.

"It won't be permanent, but he needs time to cool off. If it were anyone else, I would have had him killed the moment he arrived back to my territory."

"Why didn't he attack you?"

"The words of the Banishment. They have a power over vampires. Once they are evoked, the person being vanished is held immobile. After the words are complete, if the person decides to attack, they die almost immediately."

Elena swallowed thickly. "Wow. That's..."

"Harsh, I know, but necessary," he said and pulled her into his arms.

Elena relaxed at the safety there and sighed as he tightened his arms around her. "So how much of our talk did you hear?"

"Most of it," he replied.

Elena couldn't help but smile a little. It was nice to know that he had been there in case things had gotten too out of hand like they had at the end. "So where do we go from here?"

"We get someone to clean up and then-"

"No, we as in us. You and I," she interrupted, pulling away to look at him.

"Where would you like us to go?" he asked.

Elena smiled before linking her hands with his and holding them tight. "There is definitely something between us and I want to explore it. It's not just lust and it's not just love. There's a connection there. All I know for sure is that I don't want to leave your side."

Damon was silent for a moment as he carefully thought of the right way to approach the topic that had been on his mind since meeting her. "Then I have a proposition for you."

Elena's head canted to the side as her eyes widened slightly with curiosity. "And what would that be?"

Damon smirked before leaning in, pressing his lips against her ear. "Become my queen. Stay by my side for all eternity, where ever it shall lead us." Elena stilled, waiting for the panic and fear to settle in at the prospect of commitment. Instead, she felt numb as well as a rush of excitement. Damon pulled his head back enough to see the cause of her hesitation. Instead, she gave him her answer.

* * *

><p>"Are you <em>still <em>not ready?" Damon whined, pacing the foot of the bed.

"Hey, this is a big night. I have to look perfect," Elena called from the bathroom connected to their bedroom.

"You already look perfect. How many times do I have to tell you that?"

"Many," she answered in a serious tone.

With a shake of his head, Damon sped into the bathroom and pulled her away from the mirror. "We're already late as it is. It _is_ a big night and you don't want your first impression to be one of tardiness do you?"

Elena frowned and shook her head. "No," she said with a sigh.

He pulled her to him, cupping her face so that he could kiss her properly. As always, it calmed her nerves and helped her relax. When he pulled away, they were both smiling. "Shall we?"

"I guess," she said and took his hand before following him down to the ball room where Damon's closest friends and allies had all gathered for the special event. Elena stood next to Damon at the front of the crowd while they waited for silence to replace the chatter. Elena smiled nervously at Elijah who was waiting off to her right. He winked at her for reassurance.

"Many of you wondered why I have called you here and few of you know the reasons why. Today is a very special day. Exactly one year ago, I met Elena, the woman at my side. She has made the idea of spending eternity alone a nightmare for me and without her, I would not be standing here in front of you today." Elijah stepped forward and placed the crown he had been holding atop her head. "So without further ado, let me introduce to you Elena Gilbert, the Queen of Virginia."


End file.
